Redshirt-freshman running back Frankie Hickson is somewhat of a local icon in Lynchburg after his exceptionally successful career at local Heritage High School. He was named first-team all-district, all-conference, and all-region as both a junior and a senior. Hickson was named the Lynchburg News & Advance 2013 Player of the Year, and he rushed for over 4,000 career yards and 65 touchdowns in 3 seasons with the Pioneers. The 5’8″, 200 pound back has a familiar name in Liberty circles, as well, as his father Frank was the running backs coach at Liberty from 2004-08 and helped the Flames win the program’s first two Big South titles in 2007 and 2008.
Frankie and his family moved to Lynchburg in 2004 when he was 7 years old. Since then, he has lived just a few minutes away from Liberty and Williams Stadium, and he recalls hearing the roar of the crowds on game days when he was growing up. Several members of the coaching staff from when his dad was on staff are still around, making his adjustment to college life much simpler than the average football player.
Hickson has 228 yards rushing on 46 carries this season
“Its just like one big family,” Hickson said. “I’ve got my brothers on my team. I’ve got my coaches who are like father figures and kind of like uncles to me. Its just like one big family that I want to play for, and I want to give them my all every single time I’m on the field.”
After excelling on the gridiron at Heritage High, Frankie was the low man on the totem pole at running back for the first time in several years, and he red-shirted during his first season on campus in 2015.
“It was tough. I had good days and I had bad days. There were some days I was thinking this is great. I get an extra year. I get 4 more years. I’m getting stronger. I’m getting faster in the weight room with the best strength & conditioning coach Bill Gillespie. And just loving it, loving the situation I’ve been put in. Loving the situation that God has blessed me with. But there were some days when you come off the field and you kind of feel insignificant. You kind of feel you have no point here. You have no purpose being here.”
Coach Gill empathizes with those he red-shirts and tries to encourage them through it. “A lot of (the kids we red-shirt) have kind of been the stars as they’ve been growing up in their neighborhood for the last 8, 9, 10 years. Now all of a sudden, for one year, they won’t be playing. It’s a transition that we have to help them through. Some of them accept it OK. There may be one or two that won’t accept it as well, but we have to guide them through that and encourage them through it.”
Hickson focused during his red-shirt year and all off-season to improve in every possible facet so when the time came he would be prepared.
“I have the determination just to help my team in any way that I can,” Hickson said. “Which means that I’ve got to get faster. I’ve got to get better conditioned. I’ve got to get my hands better. Everything in my arsenal has to get better. And anything that’s not in my arsenal, I have to put it in my arsenal and that has to get better as well. Having the mindset, the mentality of, Frankie, you have to give it your all every single day. You’ve got to try to make the special teams. You’ve got to try to make the depth chart on offense and get some reps because you know any one of your reps could be a life changer.”
Frankie leads the Big South with 27.6 yards per kick return
Hickson has begun to reap the rewards from the work he put in over the past year. He’s earned the job as Liberty’s kick returner, and he’s leading the Big South and ranks 14th nationally averaging 27.6 yards per kick return. That’s a remarkable statistic considering Hickson never returned kicks prior to this season. He’s also worked himself into the rotation at running back with Todd Macon and Carrington Mosley. Frankie is currently 2nd on the team with 228 rushing yards, and he leads the team with 5.0 yards per carry and 3 rushing touchdowns.
“I think he’s a tad bit quicker than those other guys,” offensive coordinator Joe Dailey said when comparing Hickson to Macon and Mosley. “I think his anticipation is different because he just sees a little bit of a crease, and he understands that he can hit it. He’s not as big as those other guys so he understands that. He brings a punch when he hits the crease. I think what differentiates him from the others is that he can hit a crease really fast. The other guys, they run behind their pads really well.”
At just 5’8″ and 200 pounds, Hickson is the smallest back on Liberty’s roster, but he doesn’t let that slow him down. “(I have) that dog mentality that says I’m small, but I’ll still give you everything I’ve got. It doesn’t matter what my size is, it’s all about my effort.”
He’s enjoying his time on the field this fall, and he hopes to lead Liberty to another playoff birth.
“Its just been a dream come true. Having so many prayers and dreams come to fruition. It’s amazing. It’s an amazing feeling coming in here every Saturday. Just playing the game that I love, the game that my family loves, and the game I was called to play, and use it to glorify Christ.”
